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Season of Goodbyes

So many goodbyes lately: two coworkers left for other parts of the country (Austin and San Fran); several of my son’s friends have taken off for college already (Florida, Texas, etc.); my son said goodbye to my parents and my brother/wife last weekend; we have another going-away dinner planned for him to say goodbye to Chris’ brother’s family this weekend …

It just feels like a lot of leaving and changing.

Of course, I’m happy for all the people who are leaving, because they’re all going off to exciting new adventures, but it still leaves an air of emptiness and, well, … change.

And it’s all really leading up to the biggest change of all — having my son head off to college.

His stuff is all over my stairs right now. I have his comforter, desk lamp, waste basket, and various crates and bins lined up in the hallway collecting little things as I think of them — light bulbs, electrical outlet, desk supplies, microwaveable mugs, spoons, nail clippers, laundry detergent capsules, a can opener. …

It’s nice to keep myself busy with the scavenger-hunt-style shopping and collecting.

I know it’s keeping me from thinking about how sad this is going to be.

3 thoughts on “Season of Goodbyes”

*hugs* I’m not about to tell you something stupid like “It will get better”, because it just doesn’t! People told me that when my son left two years ago and it was a big fat lie. Now child #2 leaves on Thursday to go join child #1. It doesn’t get better, but it does get….well….different. It becomes manageable some how, but never better. If you need anything…even a shoulder to cry on, I’m around.

I know how you feel! It is really hard letting our children leave the house to become their own person! All these years you and Chris have been preparing him for his future and I know you never thought it would happen this fast! I am not gonna lie – it isn’t easy, but you will manage. You still have the other two kids to keep you busy once Ricky leaves and of course your great friendship and relationship with Superman =) It is a huge change though – even though as teens they seem to never be home anyways, there is something comforting knowing that all your kids are under your roof asleep,and that was the hardest part for me. You will be fine…just think, after he is done with college there will be more change and maybe he will end up living close to the family again!

Oh my gosh, *hugs* to both of you, Lori and Debi! Thanks for both telling it like it is — I appreciate your honesty and your refusal to sugar-coat things! What you’re both saying makes perfect sense — you find your new “normal,” I guess. I was going to post about that — especially since I’m going through all kinds of emotions in my 1-week countdown — but I’m still wrapping my mind around it and trying to put it into words. …